Any seafood lover loves scallops. They are fast to prepare; so fast that you don’t want to overcook them. First, if frozen, thaw the large diver scallops in a shallow dish of water, just covering the tops of the scallops. Squeeze lemon juice over the top of the thawing scallops. Because the scallops are small, it only takes a few minutes to thaw the feast. Rinse the scallops at least 2 times. Pat each dry with paper towels and then sear each on high heat, with just a touch of oil. Now the fun begins with flavor options and plating. For Italian style scallops, mix fresh garlic infused breadcrumbs with Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Top each scallop with the breadcrumb and cheese mixture. Just prior to serving, broil the scallops briefly to heat through but don’t overcook… Another classic option, is to plate the scallops onto pre-boiled large scallop shells and broil the scallops briefly to finish the cooking process with a dash of sherry. For French style scallops, once seared, remove the scallops from the pan. Add a half stick of butter to the sauté pan and heat until bubbly. Deglaze the pan with a generous dash of Pastis liqueur. Just prior to serving, heat the scallops thoroughly in the Pastis infused sauce and serve with a fresh herb garnish. For American style scallops, skewer the scallops with an alternating chunks of green bell pepper, marinated mushrooms, small boiled red new potatoes and a small onion. Just prior to serving, grill the kebabs and finish with garlic butter. For a Mexico style, after searing the scallops, in a pot on the stove heat a 16 oz. jar of green salsa verde and 16 oz. of sour cream. Heat the green chili sauce on low heat. Place the sauce in an oven-proof dish. Just prior to serving, place the scallops on top the green chili sauce and heat thoroughly in the oven, without overcooking…Oh, this really is making me hungry – five scallop styles for festive entertaining. © Kelly McBride Loft